Determination
by BlatantFlagrancy
Summary: Bell has long suspected the reasons behind his rapid growth. Now, armed with a translation book and a willing helper, he's going to read his status for himself. What will he learn? What will he do with it? My second submission to the site - enjoy!
1. Prologue

Hestia's library in the Hearth Mansion was like a labyrinth of books – Hestia enjoyed reading human books and, despite her colossal debt to Hephaestus, she had found money to buy hundreds of them as well as time to read them. From the floor to the ceiling, everything from leather-bound tomes to single sheets of parchment were piled high. There didn't seem to be an obvious rhyme or reason to the ordering of the books, it was really as though she'd just dropped it after she'd read it.

But Bell knew what he was looking for.

Back in their old home under the church, Bell had noticed Hestia's poring over a particular book that was clearly a translation tool from when she first descended to Gekai. In the early days of their partnership, Hestia was still using it to transcribe the hieroglyphs on Bell's back into Koine so he could read his status. She had managed to rescue it from the catastrophic ruins of the church, and Bell had finally decided he had need of it.

All at once, he spotted it; large and very thick with a purple leather cover. Without a second thought, Bell grabbed that book, shoved it into the satchel at his hip and left the mansion in some haste.

It wasn't that Bell was angry, no, quite the opposite in fact. He could never resent his Goddess – after all, Hestia had given him everything. But the fact was not lost on him that while he was trying to catch up to **_her_** level, **_she_** was still growing too. Perhaps he would never be able to close the gap between them. This knowledge was forging his mindset into one of impatience and impetuousness, like so many High Smith hammer blows. He was determined to find out why he was able to grow so quickly, so as to allow him to harness it and accelerate his growth even more.

And he was sure that his first skill slot had something to do with it.

He had believed his Goddess the first time she claimed to have slipped when transcribing his status, leaving a smudge in his first skill slot. However, when she hesitantly asked Bell if she could tell him his status without writing it down, coupled with the consequent occasions that her penmanship had failed her, Bell's suspicions were very much aroused.

The problem he faced, however, was that he couldn't understand a single hieroglyph, so even if he was somehow able to read the status on his own back, he wouldn't be able to make sense of what he saw; hence his borrowing of Hestia's book.

Bell took a shortcut through an alleyway, and made his way up the main street to the Guild HQ, all the while imagining how he was going to ask his advisor to assist him.

"Miss Eina WOULD help me, right?" he wondered aloud.

"I would help you what, Bell?" a softly-spoken voice from beside him asked. In his bubble of thought he had failed to notice the very girl in question approaching him to his right.

Eina was dressed in her guild uniform, and, judging by the ungodly hour of the morning that Bell had skulked out of the Hearth Mansion she was on her way in to work. She looked as pretty as ever, Bell thought, her ears ending in a slight point poking past her brown hair – a clear indicator of her half-elven blood.

"W-well, y-you see, Miss… Miss Eina…" Bell began in earnest, tripping over his words as he went. "I need to ask a favour!" he continued, earning a series of quick successive blinks from his advisor before proffering the translation book to her.


	2. Part 1

Today was the day.

Babel tower stood watch over the assembled familias as they prepared to enter the dungeon on one of the most talked-about expeditions for years. Loki Familia had enlisted the help of several other, slightly lower-ranking familias to assist in the push to conquer floor 59. The involvement of lower-ranking familias on such a deep floor had raised many questions, but the thinking was relatively clear – in the heat of battle, a stronger Familia like Freya's could take the opportunity to turn on Loki Familia and remove one of their strongest rivals. Finn Deimne had seen to it that the composition of the expedition as it stood made it relatively safe for all parties.

Battle standards billowed in the gentle breeze and the excitement that hung in the air was palpable. Many had their doubts about the logistics of bringing together so many different familias, but the proof stood in the plaza for all to see, and the sea of metal and power assembled here was enough to inspire utter confidence and remove all doubt. This was happening.

Despite his foul mood, Bell had to admit the sight was almost breath-taking. As captain of Hestia Familia, he felt he should walk with an air of confidence, but the revelation of the truth behind his status had him doubting his own strength. Nothing he had done up until now, he realised, was truly a reflection of his own talent and power – it was merely this skill. Realis Phrase. In the space of a day, the skill that had allowed him to pursue his dreams and grow as an adventurer became a curse that he decided he wasn't sure he truly wanted anymore.

"I'm not a Hero. I'm… just a pretender" Bell had whispered to himself, amidst his advisor's insistence that knowing the truth changed nothing. Bell recognised that Eina was trying to make him feel better, but her compliments were a drop in the puddle of his disappointment. He wasn't growing because he was a true Hero, he was growing because he had a crush.

"Pathetic, as always" he muttered to himself, approaching Babel.

"What was that, Master Bell?" Lilli asked him, concern etched across her face. She and the other members of Hestia Familia had taken note of his dark mood but had thought better of asking him about it.

"Oh, i-it's nothing Lilli" he smiled at her, almost too quickly.

* * *

Hestia Familia had quickly fallen into rank with the other familias, before Finn Deimne had given a rousing speech that raised everyone's spirits. Nearly everyone, anyway.

And with that, the expedition had begun.

The plan was to all take different paths through the upper floors and meet down at floor 18, the Under Resort. Whichever party arrived at the entrance to floor 18 first was going to have to deal with the Goliath first, so a small group of higher level set off earlier than the rest, Aiz Wallenstein among them. Bell wasn't unhappy about this – he didn't think he could face her in his current state of mind. He himself had been asked to join them, given his almost legendary reputation for defeating the Black Goliath but he had respectfully declined, explaining that he wished to stay with his own Familia and ensure their safe passage to the under-resort. The truth was that he didn't really feel much like fighting now, and the poor timing of this attitude was not lost on him.

Bell was very much conflicted on the situation. On one hand, he was glad that the façade of him being a unique, powerful Hero on-the-up were shattered, and on the other he was disappointed beyond words. When he had 'borrowed' the translation book from his goddess and enlisted Eina's help in deciphering his status, he had no idea what to expect. He certainly didn't think his findings would change his outlook so drastically. His true goal was to discover the reason for his growth and utilise it to make him even stronger, but alas, now that he knew the truth he couldn't say he wanted to do much of anything anymore.

Progress to the eighteenth floor had been so quick that daylight still shone in the crystals above, so the expedition had made the decision to simply push on through and save supplies. The immensity of the power this expedition had was considerable, and the dungeon itself seemed to shrink away from it; Bell hadn't had to dispatch a single monster since they descended into the first floor as the other adventurers in his group were more than a match for the dungeon's feeble attempts at halting their advance.

* * *

Floor 40 was where the expedition decided to pitch up and prepare for another push to the 59th floor the next morning and night-watch shifts were arranged to ensure everyone was well rested for the next morning.

Which came quicker than Bell would have liked.

He hadn't slept all that much, despite not being tasked with watch-duty. The tiredness of his body now mirrored the tiredness of his mind, and it was clear for all to see. He waved away all attempts from his familia to cheer him up or ascertain the reason behind his fatigue, but in all honesty, he wasn't sure he even really knew himself. What he knew was that if he didn't buck his ideas up, he was going to endanger his friends when the going got tough, and that wasn't him. Whether or not he was worthy of his power, he still had it, and he had to be responsible. With his head held high, he began to lead from the front, dispatching any monsters that dared come into range of his knives.

'Only one who truly risks his life may be called a hero.' His grandfather's words echoed in Bell's mind.

He could do that.

He could still be a hero.

He just had to risk his life.


	3. Part 2

The bellows of adventurers and the clashes of steel on chitin filled the air. As soon as the expedition has had reached the 59th floor, they were beset on all sides by a multitude of monsters. Almost like an ambush.

It was fitting, really. The Udaeus on the 37th, the Balor on the 49th and the Cadmus on the 51st had all gone down rather easily. With adventurers the likes of Aiz Wallenstein onboard, who had previously taken on floor bosses singlehandedly, it wasn't so surprising that progression was fast. But the rate at which the frontier of the 59th floor was reached was almost unnerving, and it quickly became clear that the dungeon had been merely biding its time.

The party had been cold-blooded in its efficiency up until now, but now the professional organisation of the assembled expedition was in total disarray. Adventurers were splintering off from their assigned teams to assist other adventurers who had done the same. The heat of the jungle zone of floor 59 complimented the heat of the battle.

Bell had broken off from Welf, Lilli and Haruhime to assist a member of Ganesha familia, only to see him run through by a large monster resembling a mantis. If he was going to risk his life and prove himself a real hero, he figured he had to be where the fighting was thickest, and so here he found himself face-to-face with a group of these armoured invertebrates. So hard was their carapace, that Bell's longsword had snapped after only a few strikes, leaving him cursing his decision not to invest in an adamantite one. Left with the shorter reach of his Hestia Knife and Hakugen, he quickly came to realise how precarious a situation he was in.

He had to risk his life, yes. But he also had to escape with it.

Bell lunged blade-first at the closest monster, getting in close before feinting and rolling out to his left. With the heavily armoured monster outmanoeuvred, Bell brought in the shorter Hestia knife up under the dark green plate on the monster back, basking for a moment in the dark coloured ash it burst into. Immediately he set to work on the rest. The scythes on these monster's arms were sharper than any blade he had seen, and it was all too clear that this was now a contest of speed rather than cutting power. He would have to pick his targets carefully and aim for the weak-points between their thick armour plates. The lessons of his advisor were running through his mind, almost guiding his hand to each vulnerability.

"Every monster has a weakness", Bell repeated her words, "you just have to find it and exploit it."

Before he knew it, the fight was over, the viscous green liquid coating his arms and armour the only evidence of what he had faced. Bell's chest was heaving – the air on this floor was thick somehow, and the heat was stifling. Taking in his surroundings he took a quick count of how many monsters were around and the result was concerning to say the least. The expedition was easily outnumbered three-to-one. Almost in answer to his thoughts, the voice of Loki familias captain Finn Deimne broke through the din to announce a tactical retreat to the safety of floor 50. Clearly, too many fighters had been lost already, and it was obvious that it would only get worse.

Amidst the carnage, he spotted her.

Aiz was facing off against a monster Bell hadn't noticed elsewhere on the floor. This one had an outer shell as black as midnight, and its scythes glinted in the strong crystal light from overhead. It was larger than the rest, and clearly deadlier.

An Irregular.

In the look of surprise on Aiz' face, Bell saw opportunity. He took off toward the two combatants, his breathing getting heavier and heavier by the second, his heart heaving into his throat. Chimes filled the air as he began to charge it. Argonaut. His trump-card. The sound of chimes gave way to a thunderous bell tolling that caught the attention of monster and adventurer alike. With a final, deep breath, he drank in the humid air and prepared himself.

"FIIIRE-BOOOOOOLT" Bell roared, fuelling the attack with all the pent-up fury he could muster. Taking aim, he let loose a vibrant blast of white energy that struck the Irregular with such force it made onlookers wince. In an instant, it's left scythe and the entire left half of its face had been burnt off, destroying the large magic stone in the process.

Aiz looked at Bell with wide-eyes, before charging towards him at a speed he didn't believe possible. With her Superior sabre drawn the Sword Princess lunged at him. Bell didn't understand what was going on. 'Did I hit her too?' he asked himself, as the Kenki sailed past him and drove her weapon into something to his right. Without taking a breath, the Rabbit Foot turned as the monster she had saved him from dissipated into ash. The monster that had been about to bring his short adventuring career to a swift and resolute end.

"Wake up!" she shouted to him over her shoulder, her golden hair billowing in the breeze her speed had kicked up. She darted away into the fray once more, to help assist the others in retreating.

Bell wasn't sure how his heroics could have backfired so badly. He had been so eager to rescue Aiz he had been blind to the enemies around him. Again, Aiz Wallenstein had to save him. He had successfully put his life in danger, but it wasn't the way he imagined, and it certainly wasn't heroic. All he felt was a profound embarrassment.

The order for retreat was sounded again, no louder than the voice in Bell's head chastising him for his foolishness. The storm in his mind was raging and with a roar of frustration, Bell thoughtlessly threw his immensely valuable weapons to the ground and took off for the Floor Exit. He didn't need them anymore – he was done.


	4. Part 3

Going on previous experience, the decision had been made to burden the many supporters on the expedition with copious amount of antidotes to counter the potent venom of the monsters on floor 59. The unexpectedly tough resistance on the floor may have forced the expedition back, but the plan had not been abandoned – many in Loki familia had suspected that this may be the result when involving less-experienced Familias in the forays into deeper floors. Still, a recovery period was needed whilst new strategies were devised in how to deal with the situation and the safety of Floor 50 was where they decided to retreat to.

Tents stretched all around the clearing, as elixirs were consumed and food prepared. Morale was particularly low given how the first foray had gone, so everyone was going to be eating at the same time in order to promote good relations between the various parties. Night permeated the floor, and Bell had withdrawn to his tent under the cover of darkness with little more than a goodnight and a promise to catch up in the morning with his Familia and friends. His reasoning was two-fold: not only did he feel embarrassed about his failed attempt at heroics during the battle, he couldn't quite face his Familia if they knew he'd abandoned his weapons there – after all, Lilli, Welf and Haruhime all knew how much the Hestia Knife had put their Familia in debt. Bell's kind nature dictated that he stay away from his friends for now to avoid taking out his rage on them. He only hoped they would understand.

"Some Hero, huh" Bell mused to himself, unclipping the armour that lately seemed to feel too heavy to him. His glossy black pauldrons fell to the floor as he moved to remove his gauntlets and greaves. Removing his armour had always felt like a ritual to Bell, but tonight it felt like a chore and the difference made only worsened his mood. Finishing removing his armour, he placed the assembled set by the door to his tent in preparation for maintenance in the morning. As he leant down he admired the craftsmanship – Welf had truly gone above and beyond with this latest set. No other blacksmith's creations, aside from Hephaestus, had ever caught his eye so much and he was certain the armour had saved his life more times than he could count on two hands. Truth be told, he felt he didn't thank Welf enough, but in the weak lamplight of his tent he resolved to show more gratitude. Of course, after he had apologised for 'losing' his weapons.

The tent Loki Familia had provided him with was quite large, as was befitting the captain of a Familia – or so they claimed. Truthfully, Bell was just as happy sleeping outside – the lack of monster spawns made sleeping on these safe floors relatively easy – but he was also glad of the privacy. He could mope here in peace and of course, Finn has insisted.

Turning to move to the small desk in the corner of the tent, Bell felt a strong gust of wind behind him, and heard the canvas of the tent flap wildly. He span on his heel to meet the gaze boring into him. And there she stood.

Aiz Wallenstein.

It was strange really. Every time Bell saw her, he felt like it was the first time. Like it was a momentous occasion, the highlight of his life. Every time he met her eyes was remarkable to him, and never more so than tonight. His throat was decidedly dry.

The girl leant down to the floor, placing a rolled up cloth alongside Bell's armour, unravelling it to show Hestia Knife and Hakugen, before opening her mouth to speak.

"Take it off," she gestured to him nonchalantly.

"M-Miss Aiz?" Bell stumbled nervously in reply.

"Your shirt," she continued without breaking eye contact, "take it off."

At this, Bell's face took on a vivid shade of red. Was she really asking this? The girl of his dreams asking him to undress? Could this really be happening? With these questions whipping up a storm through his boyish mind, he nearly failed to notice her advancing toward him. All at once he was face-to-face with the Kenki, her eyes still boring into his. Unable to find words, Bell marvelled at her beauty all the while. Everything from her collarbones to her hair like spun gold was so perfect to him he struggled to express it even to himself. However, he quickly snapped out of his reverie upon noticing the expression on her face. It wasn't so much the determined look in her eyes, but the flicker of desperation in the corner of them.

Again she gestured to his shirt.

"W-why?" Bell eked out.

"I want… need to see your status. All of it." She replied with almost menacing finality.

A stab of disappointment lanced through Bell's system. She wasn't after THAT. He chided himself for even daring to hope that Aiz Wallenstein was interested in him. It was his status.

It was his rapid growth.

It was that skill.

Pulses of anger were already climbing up Bell's spine as he unbuttoned his shirt and bared his back to the Sword Princess. He gritted his teeth as he felt her golden eyes reading the glyphs engraved there – he'd had enough disappointment lately to last him a lifetime.

Aiz dragged her gaze away from the boy's surprisingly defined muscles to study the hieroglyphs. She took it all in; the abilities, the magic and development abilities before coming to the part she had been so suspicious of. Back on the 9th floor when Bell had defeated the Minotaur, the remnants of his shirt had prevented her seeing his entire status – namely, anything below his abilities. Thanks to Riveria's teaching, Aiz had a very rudimentary understanding of the hieroglyphs that the Gods placed upon the backs of their 'children'. She recognised Bell's Argonaut and Ox Slayer skills – she had known about them for a while after all. However in the very first skill slot of his status was a skill Aiz didn't recognise.

Realis Phrase.

"Realis Phrase," Aiz read aloud. "Could you explain this skill to me?" she asked coolly, despite her growing curiosity and heartrate.

'Here we go' Bell thought to himself. Once he had learned the truth from Eina, he knew the day would come where he would have to explain it. He just didn't think it would come so soon, and he especially didn't think he'd be explaining it to the girl he was madly in love with. His embarrassment at his state of undress before Aiz melted away as he resigned himself to the repercussions of people knowing his secret.

"Realis Phrase. Rapid Growth. Effect lasts whilst feelings persist. Stronger feelings result in stronger growth." He explained, reciting the description he'd already recited to himself a thousand times or more.

Aiz' face grew increasingly tense by the second.

"How did you come by it?" she asked, the desperation in her eyes now lacing her voice.

She finally had it, the key to his impossible growth; the key to getting stronger.

Bell expected this. Together, he and Eina had interrogated Hestia about the skill and she, begrudgingly, confessed that he gained the skill after he had been rescued by 'Miss Wallenwhatsit' from his first encounter with a minotaur. His childish desire to be next to her had manifested itself in a skill.

"I guess… I don't think you'll like my answer." Bell replied curtly. Her determination to gain his skill for herself was clear – she had no interest in him.

"I gained the skill when you rescued me from the minotaur on the fifth floor. I gained the skill when I fell in love with Aiz Wallenstein." Bell confessed, the weight on his shoulders lessening somewhat.

Aiz' eyes opened wider at this. Her hand instinctively grabbed the hilt of her blade, as though she'd been threatened by a monster.

With all pretence aside, Bell's confidence began to grow. "I'd give it to you if I could, you know. Honestly, all it's ever done is get me in to trouble; the War Game, the Pleasure District, the Xenos. Maybe I'd be better off without it. I wanted so badly to be… to be worthy of you that… I guess I forgot that I never could be. N-no one could." Bell blurted all at once.

His heart was thundering in his chest and the silent, stunned look on Aiz' face was almost enough to make him falter. He was dimly aware that he wasn't giving her a chance to reply, but he'd said too much to stop now. He had to finish.

"I don't feel worthy of my power." Bell declared, tears now threatening to sting his eyes. "Everything I've accomplished up to now has been because of this skill, not my own strength. I mean… just look at all the times you've had to rescue me – I've been leaning on your strength since the first day we met."

Aiz still hadn't uttered a single word. Her mouth was slightly open, her perfect lips forming a slight 'O' shape. She looked completely lost for words at Bell's stream of confessions.

"Bete was right that time, I guess. A weakling like me could never end up with a girl like you, skill or no skill." He continued, his voice threatening to crack under the pressure of his growing feeling of defeat. "But I'll never look at another girl the way I look at you, so I guess I'm stuck like this." Bell finished with a sigh.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think he'd ever confess so much of his inner feelings to Aiz. Now the he had, he was quickly beginning to regret everything he'd said. Now that she knew how he grew the way he did, she'd have no reason to feign interest in him anymore. His skill was a result of something there was no control over. His skill was of no use to her, so neither was he.

The tent was eerily quiet as the two adventurers stood alone. In the weak lamplight, the Sword Princess' golden eyes were more dazzling to Bell than they had ever been. The way her long, golden hair framed her perfect face, one could have mistaken her for a goddess of beauty. Bell's deep red eyes drank in the sight of her.

But Bell noticed something odd.

He face seemed discoloured – across her cheeks was a dusting of deep scarlet. Bell scarcely had time to register it before the girl drew closer.

Before she closed those bright golden eyes.

Before her hand landed on his shoulder.

Before her lips crashed to his.


	5. Part 4

Apologies for how long it took me to update – life's been pretty hectic what with a promotion and moving to university. Additional apologies for yesterday's false-alarm. I knocked up a chapter relatively quickly in the early hours of the morning and was so eager to get it out I released it as it was. Reviewers pointed it out and I agreed – it wasn't my best work and was taking the story in a direction that wasn't up-to-scratch. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and understand the direction that the story is going. If you want me to continue, let me know and I'll make time to keep on top of it. All suggestions are welcome too! Thanks!

It was over almost as quickly as it had started. Aiz had pressed her lips to Bell's, and had just as abruptly turned to leave. Still in a state of paralysis at her touch, Bell was slow to chase after her.

But chase her he did.

The way Aiz golden hair caught the shone despite the dank illumination her easy to follow. She was so quick that without it he may have lost her in the maze of tents and smoldering campfires.

Bell was seriously confused. The situation was running circles through his mind and he couldn't make sense of it. Why had she kissed him? Why had she left? His grandfather had always encouraged him to chase after girls, but he had never let Bell know how confusing they could be. Lost amongst his chaotic thoughts, Bell was only dimly aware that he was following Aiz to the Loki familia's section of the huge encampment.

"She must be headed back to her tent." Bell mused.

As he passed the first of the Loki familia emblazoned tents, Bell caught sight of the two Amazonian sisters, Tiona and Tione. Aiz was hurrying over to them, and Bell quickened his pace to close the distance between them.

Bell was surprised when Aiz passed the sisters and Tione moved to block Bell from approaching.

Before he could rush to her side Tione pushed him back, as Tiona threw a well-toned, wheat-skinned arm around the clearly shaken Aiz.

"What did you do!?" Tione asked, grabbing Bell by the collar and shaking him.

"I didn't do anything!" he shot back. "Just let me talk to Aiz, I can explain!" he shouted to anyone who would listen, trying to push past the deceptively strong Amazon.

Before Bell could say another word, he was struck in the back and thrown aside by someone behind him.

"What'd you do tomato-boy?!" Bete asked, baring his fangs. His white hair was dishevelled, the spikes of which were accentuated by the azure tattoo that adorned his wolfish face.

"Nothing, just le—" Bell began before he was cut off.

"LIAR, I can smell your pathetic scent on her!" Bete roared, growing angrier by the second.

"Bete, that's enough," came a voice from deeper in the camp. All heads turned to see the unassuming figure approaching them. Loki Familia captain Finn Deimne. "There will be no fighting in the encampment. If the expedition is to succeed, the familias within must be united in defiance of whatever the dungeon can throw our way."

"Hear that loser? Beat it!" Bete sneers.

"That includes you, Bete." Finn chides.

With a growl, Bete stalked away.

Bell was exasperated. He couldn't protest any longer lest he provoke the most powerful assembly of adventurers in the camp. But the aggression aimed his way, unjustly, was more than he could bear. Everything was just too confusing and to top it off he still had no idea why Aiz wouldn't look at him. What had he done? She came to _his_ tent. She kissed _him._

Turning his back on the Loki familia camp, Bell caught sight of Riveria motioning people away from Aiz, before escorting her away to somewhere else in the camp, alone.

The Hestia familia camp was tiny in comparison to the other camps. Whereas the others had lots of tents and campfires, Hestia familia's area had few and one, respectively. It was to be expected really, after all Hestia familia was officially the smallest contingent in the entire expedition.

Despite the smaller space and sparse quantities of supplies around them, Bell naturally felt much more at ease here. Without so much as a word to his familia, Bell enters his tent and decides to grab what little sleep he could manage before the expedition set off.

The negligible sleep Bell managed to get was fitful and restless. He dreamed about being left behind, deep in this dungeon, alone. His familia was nowhere to be seen and as monsters closed in from all angles, he saw they all had the most brilliant golden eyes. They were snarling at him, almost mocking him. His grandfather's voice resounded around what must have been a cavern, telling him over and over to simply 'listen'. As soon as the monsters reached him, the dream was over and Bell was sat upright in his bedroll in a cold sweat.

It was at this point Bell decided he needed to leave.

Calling Lilli, Haruhime and Welf to the centre of their camp, Bell let his closest friends know that he had decided they were going to split off from the expedition early and head back to the surface. To his surprise, he met very little resistance. Of course, they were all curious as to the reasoning, but Bell made it clear that it was the best option for them.

"We're the smallest party within the expeditionary force," Bell reasoned, "and none of us exceed level four. We're a great team but four members won't be missed."

Bell had considered heading off to the surface on his own, leaving the group in Welf's capable, senior hands. But his dream had left him wary of going anywhere on his own without his familia. Besides, he reckoned, if he got to Hestia only to have to explain that he'd left the other members of their already tiny familia in the hands of other adventurers in such a dangerous place, he wasn't sure she'd be able to forgive him, regardless of her adoration for him. He had too much respect for his Goddess to endanger what she had built and so he would fulfil his role as Familia Captain and make the hard choice to leave.

As they gathered their belongings, Bell took a few minutes out to try one last time to talk to Aiz. Maybe she would talk to him and everything could be resolved. It was a long trip back to the surface, and a tough one, regardless of if the floor bosses were yet to respawn.

Mulling it over, he came to his senses when he realised his feet had taken him there anyway. He stepped over the boundary and strode over to the Loki familia that were clearly gathered for breakfast. Immediately he noticed the twins eyeing him warily, but all too late realised that Bete was present too. And where Bete was, Bell had come to realise that meant trouble for him.

"Little kid wandered too far from his little kid friends?" Bete starts.

Finn was sitting beside Riveria and Gareth, eyes fixated on Bell.

Bete was aware of his superiors, and was careful to toe the line.

"Not happy to have your weakling stench over our Aiz, you wanna cover our camp in it too?" Bell continues, to the sound of laughter from the various adventurers either side of him.

"Lock it down, Bete." Finn interjects sharply.

"You're right, I am a weakling," Bell blurted before he could stop himself, "but one day soon, I'll be stronger than you." He was unsure if he believed the words himself, but his wounded pride was in the driving seat.

"Well why don't we put it to the test now?" Bete snarls, getting to his feet.

Instinctively, Bell grabs the hilt of the Hestia Knife. The glyphs inscribed into the blade lit up in an instant, and he felt the familiar power seep between his fingers and the hilt they were wrapped tightly around.

Before he can draw it even a centimetre, Gareth Landrock is in front of him, staying his hand.

"You've been warned, lad. That's enough now." The muscular dwarf reasoned, his stony voice almost shaking the ground beneath them. He must have moved impossibly fast to cross that distance.

"You heard the old geezer, scurry back to your little excuse for a familia!" Bete laughs.

He could handle Bete's insults all day, but his familia was different. The red mist descended, and all at once Bell made for Bete in a burst of uncharacteristic violence, only to be easily stopped by the large, immensely powerful dwarf to his right.

Rising to his feet, Finn's voice carried across the entirety of the encampment.

"ENOUGH. I won't tolerate any aggression toward any member of this expedition. Either you get along, or you withdraw from this mission with immediate effect." The pallum was serious.

Bell came to, to see the various expressions on the faces around him; the smirk on Bete's face, the disappointed look in Gareth's eyes, the sympathetic look Riveria was wearing, the sad look of guilt in Aiz' eyes that still wouldn't meet his. Why wasn't she sticking up for him?

He took it all in with a single inhale of breath and turned on his heel.

"I was already leaving."

They clearly hadn't expected this. Finn sighed loudly, shooting Bete a withering glare. Gareth grunted and stepped aside to allow Bell past. Aiz got to her feet and took a step toward Bell, but Tiona and Tione blocked her path, pulling her back down to her seat and shook their heads. 'Not now,' their eyes seemed to say.

Riveria only maintained that same look of sympathy she'd been giving Bell since he'd approached. Bell got the feeling she had some understanding of the situation, but whether that was because Aiz had opened up to her, or down to some sort of High-Elf intuition, Bell wasn't sure – he wasn't privy to the closeness that the green-haired elf and Aiz shared.

Bell knelt down in front of his bedroll. As he began to fold it away, thoughts of the kiss raced through his mind. He seemed to be lost in thought a lot recently. He clearly hadn't dreamt it - Bete had confirmed that with his 'scent' comment.

Girls were confusing, and he didn't have much experience with them, and worse still, with his grandfather gone he wasn't sure who he could seek advice from. Riveria seemed like a wise choice but being from the familia that he had somehow run afoul of, she wasn't open to him in any way.

"Maybe Eina could help again?" Bell muttered.

With his familia assembled in front of the tunnel to the higher floors, Bell took one last look at the encampment. He could have sworn he caught sight of a pair of golden eyes staring at him. In any case, the girls didn't seem all that disappointed about leaving, and Bell was decidedly glad of the silence – Haruhime had witnessed several floor bosses get taken down, Lilli's back was close to overflowing and Welf had found some rare metals that he was excited to get to work on. For Bell, he was just excited to see Hestia again after so many days away from her. Ultimately, all were happy to accept his command as familia captain. And with that, they set off.

Making their way past the piles of ash that remained of floor bosses, whilst fending off the small groups of monsters that regularly assaulted them, their ascent to the first floor was thankfully uneventful. They were a close-knit team and worked well together, but they had set off from a deep floor and the monsters were a force to be reckoned with.

After a week of travelling, they arrived at the stairs up to Babel. The last step was almost too much, but despite the exhaustion, all four members of Hestia familia had arrived back to the surface with relatively unscathed.

Leaving the tower, Hestia familia was so elated at the taste of fresh air and each of their hauls that they failed to notice the approach of a group of heavily armed adventurers.

Bell felt the voice more than he heard it.

"Bell Cranel."

Bell turned to come face to face with one of the largest men he had ever seen. No, not a man. A boaz. Half human and half boar, with muscles twice as dense as Welf's.

Everyone in Orario could recognise this walking monolith and Bell was no exception.

Ottar, the King. The most powerful adventurer in Orario.

Several other adventurers flanked Ottar, and Lilli announced one of them as Allen Fromel, a level six adventurer from Freya familia. The cat-man brandished a wickedly sharp spear at each of them.

"The Rabbit Foot is coming with us." He spat.

At this, Welf drew his greatsword and Lilli produced a magic sword that still had one charge left. Haruhime stood stock-still, a mixture of fear and awe.

Lilli was the first to speak up. "Now you listen here. Master Bell has just come from deep in the dungeon and he needs to rest. We all do!"

Barely before she'd finished, several other adventurers stepped forward. The gravity of the situation was as crushing as Mikoto's gravity-magic. They'd come this far, only to be blindsided at the end.

'Either he comes with us, or we kill you one by one and take him.' He stated with concerning nonchalance. Allen Fromel was renowned for his venomous attitude, with a tongue as sharp as the spear he wielded so masterfully.

Before any one of them could protest, Bell acquiesced.

"Fine," he said weakly in defeat, "just leave my friends alone."

"I was hoping you'd resist." the cat-man sighed, lowering his spear.

Bell was pushed toward Ottar, who beckoned Bell to follow him. The other Freya familia adventurers stayed behind to ensure that none of Bell's family tried anything.

"What's this about?" Bell asked, his voice wavering and scarcely louder than a whisper.

At this proximity, the King's stoic voice seemed to reverberate through Bell's very bones.

"There are bigger things to worry about than chasing girls in the dungeon, Bell Cranel. My lady has spoken. It's time you learned."


	6. Part 5

Given no respite from the trip to the surface, Bell was in a strange position. Surrounded by some of the most powerful adventurers in Orario, he was in an extraordinary amount of danger – yet by the same token he was also in the safest he'd been for days. No other party of adventurers would be able to overwhelm the company he found himself in, but that also meant he had no means of escaping them – an awkward dichotomy. He effectively had no choice but to comply.

The man at the head of the group was the very essence of stoicism, a hero like the ones Bell read about as a child. Ottar commanded a presence unlike any Bell had seen before. It was as if the man exerted an unseen pressure on the very air around him, and Bell found himself positively awestruck. The boaz seemed to have muscle upon muscle and a calm, almost uncaring demeanour. Not apathy, but more… a lack of fear. With good reason, Bell knew.

Bell was more afraid in fact, of the man who seemed to be second in command; Allen Frommel, Vana Freya. This man, although a class below the King, was more unnerving than awe-inspiring. He was possessed of frightening skill, to be sure, but his ruthlessness and eagerness for conflict was of more concern to Bell. He didn't appreciate the threats to his familia but Bell could tell that the spear Vana Freya wielded so masterfully was almost as wicked as the man.

The white-haired boy guessed where he was being taken and his suspicions were confirmed as Folkvangr came into view. The place was enormous and surrounded by four impenetrable walls. Solemn in it's style, the home of Freya familia resembled a temple - a monument to the almost godly strength of the inhabitants, Bell reasoned. The wealth and power amassed here was truly a shock to the system. Bell had seen Loki familia's headquarters on the other side of the city, but this was something else entirely. Breath-taking, in fact.

As he was led in to the imposing main building, Bell found his palms clammy and his throat dry. Perhaps intimidating guests was the purpose of this, and if present company was somehow insufficient, this ensured the rapt attention of all who were privileged enough to be permitted entry.

Bell's entourage was getting smaller by the second as each member flaked off the group until it was just Bell and Ottar. The King wasn't speaking, but he was clearly waiting for something. The room they were in was grand in scale and decoration, but the most eye-catching thing was the dark stone steps leading up to a gorgeous white throne. Carvings of Valkyries were etched into the walls, framed by banners emblazoned with emblem of Freya familia, a Valkyrie in profile.

"Bell Cranel," came a voice from the throne, causing Bell to turn back to it. "I've waited a long time to meet you, child." He didn't know when she had appeared, but the woman seated on the throne was, like most everything in Folkvangr; breath-taking. So much so that Bell didn't have to think twice about who was addressing him. Long silver hair interspersed with crimson blossoms framed her perfectly proportioned face, and eyes the colour of the finest silver pierced into his very soul. The voice this being spoke with was like an angelic harmony suffused with unmistakable power. The fur-lined robe that hung from her shoulders did little to hide smooth, pale skin so divine that Bell felt his cheeks reddening by the second. Freya, Goddess of Beauty.

Bell had experience with goddesses of beauty; Ishtar had once tried to claim him for her own, and so he was wary of any dealings with them. They seemed to believe they had a right to claim who they wished and Bell was always grateful that he seemed to be able to resist the call to pull him into their thrall. He wasn't sure how exactly how he resisted it, but it seemed to draw the ire of Ishtar upon her realisation he possessed the capability. He'd always assumed his devotion to Hestia was the cause and he never felt reason to doubt this.

Lost in embarrassment over the beautiful form before him, rather than any power exerted upon him, Bell became aware that Ottar was no longer beside him and was instead to the left of Freya. Arms folded and eying him nonchalantly, he was guarding his goddess but was clearly and rightfully unafraid of Bell – the boy posed no threat.

The Goddess was eying him in a way Bell didn't quite understand.

"It shines as bright as ever I see," she said with a giggle. Bell could swear this woman was blushing. "But the clarity has been clouded," she said, with a slight tilt of her head and slip in her smile.

"Tell me, Bell Cranel, why do you fight?"

"For my friends." Bell answered, surprising himself with his quick response.

"Such a noble child," the Goddess replied, almost bursting with happiness. "But I wonder, had my adventurers been less gentle with your friends, would you have been able to protect them?"

Bell's palms were sweating again. He didn't think he was being threatened by Freya, but he rarely understood the machinations of the Gods.

"I would have tried, Goddess."

"I know you would, my love," she beamed with perfect white teeth. Seemingly satisfied, she rose from her throne and began descending the dark stone steps. Ottar kept a single pace behind her, every step of the way. "I see an anger in you, child. To see such an innocent soul besmirched by dark emotions saddens me. I've watched you patiently, awaiting our meeting for a long time and now the time has come my heart is blazing in my chest." the beautiful woman purred.

"I have an offer for you, dear."

Bell's heart was racing. He had no idea what to expect, but he was powerless to do anything but listen to her.

"But first," she continued, "I want you to tell me something."

She was an arms-length away now, and Freya looked like it was taking every ounce of her poise and control not to embrace him, which had Bell tense.

"Before your time, my dear, but I want you to tell me what you know about Zeus and Hera."

He was caught off guard by the strange question.

"They were the greatest familias in the land until a while ago, I think. They disappeared."

This was common knowledge, most adventurers knew this, which is why Bell was confused at being asked. The various familias in Orario all strived to be as strong as these familias had been at their peak. They were the template for a successful familia.

"Indeed they were. And now lost to this world, child." Freya said with a hint of emotion Bell didn't quite understand.

"You have experienced great loss too, haven't you?" Freya said, bringing slender fingers to her flawless chin.

Another strange question. Bell's mind was immediately filled with thoughts of the things he had lost in his journey. His mind focused on his grandfather, the man whom had instilled in Bell the drive to become an adventurer in the first place. He found himself smiling forlornly.

"My grandfather died back then… He wanted me to become an adventurer. I wanted to make him proud, I guess. I want to be a hero to live up to his hopes."

Freya simply nodded, never breaking eye contact with Bell. But she dropped the subject as quickly as she had broached it.

"Have you heard of the three Great Quests, my dear?" she asked, seemingly studying him.

Bell had to admit that he had not. The history of Orario wasn't his strongest subject, he grew up on stories of great Hero's saving damsels in distress. Do those tales refer to Great Quests?

"I haven't, goddess."

"I know. But the look on your face in contemplation is almost more than I can bear." The goddess said, making the hairs on the back of Bells neck stand up.

"These two great familias fought to complete the three Great Quests. They were to vanquish three great monsters," she continued, "and ensure the safety of us all. But they failed."

Bell couldn't believe his ears. The two strongest familias in the land had, together, failed a critical quest?

"They succeeded in defeating two of the monsters. But one – the One-Eyed Black Dragon – defeated Zeus' familia. Alas, it was too powerful, and the familias fell into ruin."

"So, this monster is still in the dungeon?" Bell asked, glancing at Ottar who was listening intently to his goddess.

"No, my dear. The three great beasts were being hunted because they escaped the dungeon. The dragon is still at large today." Freya concluded.

Bell couldn't believe his ears. A monster so powerful it defeated the strongest adventurers Orario had to offer was not only not dead, but it was outside the dungeon?

"You appear disquieted by that news, child." Freya said, again, studying him closely. "That is the reason you are here, Bell Cranel. I desire your assistance – I believe you have a role to play in the completion of your… of the Great Quest."

"B-but… I'm not even the strongest adventurer in this room. How can I help?" Bell asked, in a state of shock.

"I believe you will have a role to play, but you require support. Your soul can shine brighter than the rest, but not without _my_ help." Her tone of voice was almost lustful, and for the umpteenth time in this conversation, Bell felt his cheeks reddening again.

"You will train with my beloved Ottar here, at Folkvangr."

This was insanity. He was being given the opportunity to train with the only level 7 in Orario. Bell knew how much development he had experienced under the tutelage of his crush and idol, Aiz Wallenstein, but training under the King? Surely Realis Phrase could be put to no better use!

Equally, however, Bell was wary. He didn't know either of the people staring so intently at him, and even worse, it dawned on him, his own familia had no idea where he was. They were probably worried sick.

"My friends are probably worried sick, could I see them first and talk to them about this?" Bell asked, suddenly eager to leave and see his beloved Hestia.

"Always putting those you care for first." Freya almost swooned. "But one day soon, Bell, you will need to think about what _you_ want. I will allow you to return to your familia to discuss this. But, my love, this stays between your familia and me. I will not be here when you return, but I will be watching." She finished with a wink.

The immensely beautiful woman leaned forward and planted a soft, chaste kiss on Bell's cheek. The contact sent sparks of sensation through Bell's entire body. For a second, he almost reconsidered leaving her presence, before he was escorted out by Ottar.

After leaving Folkvangr, Bell took one last glance at the immense building and the hulking boaz before breaking into a run. He had to see his friends. He had to see his goddess. And thinking on Freya's words he realised, he _had…_ no _wanted_ to get their permission.


	7. Part 6

Convincing Hestia to allow him this opportunity had been strangely easy. Bell had expected tears and a resounding 'no'. But at the mention of the King, and the offer of training, Hestia had acquiesced. Granted, the worried look in her eye was almost heart-wrenching to Bell, but she had agreed nonetheless.

That's not to say everyone in his Familia was happy with it.

Lilli seemed to voice both her and Haruhime's disapproval with his decision, insisting that he was neglecting the Familia at a time when they needed to focus on consolidating strength and growing as a Familia. Welf only seemed to look on silently, more curious than anything.

How, Bell asked, could they continue to grow if he wasn't at the peak of his potential?

He didn't have a lucky rabbit foot, and so even his gods-given nickname seemed a mockery of the potential that Freya and the boy himself believed he possessed. He was going to show that he was more than a product of luck. This was his opportunity to improve through hard-work, like he had during his time with Aiz atop the city wall.

Except this time, his tutor was the official strongest adventurer in the city, not just a contender. He couldn't pass this up. It frustrated him that those closest to him implied a selfishness in his decision. He was only doing this to be better for them. They would come to understand.

Packing a small bag that night after saying his goodbyes, Bell was knocked from his thoughts by a hand on his shoulder.

It was his goddess. Hestia.

"Please be careful, Bell." She begged through watery eyes. "You told me you wanted to be strong. I'll allow you this chance," she sniffled. "But don't forget how dangerous the place you're going is. Your familia won't be there to help you if anything goes wrong. Just promise me you'll come back soon." The tears were falling now.

Bell embraced his goddess tightly.

"I promise, goddess Hestia. I'll get stronger for you and our familia. Besides," Bell continued, a smile spreading across his face despite his turbulent inner-feelings. "You were the only goddess who would accept me back when I first started. So you're the only goddess I'll ever accept." He itched the back of his neck, in slight embarrassment.

Hestia's eyes lit up, the tears coming stronger now.

"I know, Bell." She said, drawing Bell into an even tighter embrace, a dusting of scarlet spreading across her face. She released the boy, and turned to leave. Before exiting the threshold of his room in the mansion his goddess turned to him again, beaming. "I… We love you."

She left with a flounce. Her words filled Bell with determination. "I love you all too." He whispered to himself.

* * *

" _ **RRRRRRRRiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNnnnnnnnnnggggggg….**_ ".

The vibration of metal struck by metal was too powerful to handle, and the young adventurer dropped the training sword to the floor, nursing his bruised wrist. Swords were never his first choice. He wasn't the most courageous, he would freely admit, but he preferred to be up-close inside an enemy's guard with daggers. After all, it was harder to miss from point-blank range. Swords were heavy for him, and unwieldy as a result. He couldn't swing with enough force to make the most of the superior cutting edge, and he didn't possess the technique to make use of the greater range afforded. Daggers were safe, and the natural option for a nimble fighter.

"Again" the hulking boaz boomed.

The young man had lost count of how many times he had dropped it, the bruising on his arms the only remaining proof of the exercise. The sword was shaking in his grip despite his determination, the chips along the edge actually a testament to the craftsmanship – a lesser piece of equipment would have been shattered by the punishment.

The warrior lifted his greatsword to his shoulder before swinging it downward and back up in an arc. Upon contact, the sparks shone like a flash of lightning and the sword was wrenched from the young man's grasp again. He was thrown back and to the ground in a heap. Beads of sweat now running down his face, he panted desperately for breath.

"I can't d-" he was cut off.

"Can't defend yourself? How will you defend your friends, your familia? How will you defend the ones you love?" the warrior interjected.

Bell stared down at his scarred hands. Ottar the King was the strongest adventurer in Orario, how could he be expected to keep up?

"I had heard your agility was prodigious, yet you stand before me trying to meet my blows head on," he chided. "Your strength is not yet sufficient. Find another way."

Bell dusted himself off and wiped the sweat from his brow. Getting to his feet he hefted the still-unfamiliar weight of the blade. He'd fought with a baselard against his first minotaur, despite his lack of experience with the weapon. He ran his crimson eyes along the edge, feeling the integrity of the steel through his now-calloused hands. It was close to breaking, he determined.

"Now," the older man demanded.

At once, time seemed to slow. Kicking up dust, Bell used his speed to go on the offensive. A burst of strength coursed through his veins and he channelled it into his legs, springing up above his tutor. Bringing the sword down with all the strength he could muster, Bell met Ottar's blade edge-to-edge. The high-pitched whine of metal giving way to the shearing strength of the Boaz was almost deafening but Bell ignored it. As his feet came back into contact with the rough ground he ducked beneath the incoming greatsword and flicked his wrist, reversing his grip on the jagged remnants of the sword. Barely three inches of the blade remained but, Bell reasoned, this would be enough. Moving with all the speed he had left in the proverbial tank, he brought the hilt up toward the Boaz' neck.

And made contact with nothing.

The monstrous man had moved behind Bell with such speed, the white-haired boy didn't even register it.

"Dead," he said, his voice shaking Bell's bones at such close proximity.

Bell's crimson eyes flashed to the man's hand over his shoulder, which held the other half of his sword, aimed directly at the top of the boy's spine, his own gargantuan blade somehow now strapped to his back.

How had Ottar, as big as he was, moved with such impossible speed? Was this the power of a level 7 adventurer?

"Good. You need to use whatever you have at your disposal. That's enough for today."

With a sharp intake of breath, Bell watched as the King shattered the sword-blade in his hand to pieces through the strength of his grip alone.

Was he truly so out of his depth here?

* * *

In his new room in Folkvangr, Bell inspected his injuries. The training with Ottar had been tougher than he could ever have anticipated. But, whilst excelia was imperceptible, Bell could feel himself gaining strength with every wound, and every admonishment. He wouldn't know how effective the training would be until he returned to Hestia and had his status updated, but he was already sure the improvement would be enormous. It had to be.

After binding the cuts that adorned his tired, bruised body, Bell laid down on the bed.

His mind drifted to a blonde-haired girl with golden eyes. In his mind's eye, Bell could see the girl staring at him, unmoving. The embers of his desire to be next to her stoked into a small flame, just like it had once been. He tried to move closer to her, only to find he couldn't move. The small flames glowed hotter and hotter before the heat became almost unbearable. Every fibre of his very being inched himself closer, and he took a single, solitary step toward the girl of his dreams. His idol.

The flames licked up his legs and crept up over his shoulders, before turning a brilliant silver.

He could get closer. He had to.

Ottar stood at the open door to his would-be apprentice's room. The boy was in a deep yet fitful sleep. He'd never provided tutelage before, but Sseing the exhausted boy fighting his inner battle filled Ottar with a feeling he hadn't felt in the city for years.

Pride?

"Fight on, boy. Never stop struggling." he called to Bell, bringing the door to a close as he left the quarters.

Teaching the boy had ignited something in the King. He decided to take a walk into the dungeon tonight – the place he felt more at home than anywhere else in Orario.


	8. Part 7

Borrowed a quote from a Netflix series I watched recently, called 'Maniac'. A lot of that series spoke to me, and it's infinitely quotable.

Anyways, hope you enjoy the chapter. It's a bit of a slow-burn but I'm going to try to build up to something, and Aiz will make an appearance soon.

* * *

Bell and Hestia waited on the balcony of the tavern patiently. It felt like an eternity had passed, and Bell was sure the anxiety he could feel was only partly his own. His Goddess knew even better than he did that Freya was not to be trifled with. And so here they sat, waiting in silence for Freya to arrive and explain what it was she needed to speak to them both about privately.

"I can't believe your status improved so much in such a short space of time," Hestia broke the silence. Bell had returned to the mansion that morning to have his status updated and to tell his Goddess that Freya wished to speak with them both. "You children really do change quickly, huh?" she continued.

"I've learned a lot, Goddess. The training from Ottar is tough but I can almost feel myself getting better the entire time." Bell answered, unsure if his Goddess' question was rhetorical.

"I know, Bell. I know how much this means to you. We all miss you, but we're all rooting for you." Hestia offered him a smile, but Bell could see the touch of sadness in her eyes.

At that, the door slid open and out stepped the woman they'd been waiting for – although to merely describe her as a woman would be an injustice. Every time Bell saw Freya he felt his heart beat just that little bit harder in the presence of her almost ethereal beauty. For the ordinary races of Orario, from Elves to Dwarves, beauty was ephemeral. For an actual Goddess of beauty, it was eternal. And the way this being held herself, she had grown accustomed to the sway she held over people after aeons of being so.

"Hestia dear, I'm so glad you came!" Freya exclaimed.

"Hello Freya," Hestia responded, unsure of the sincerity in Freya's voice. They had known each other for an eternity but she knew that Freya desired Bell more than any degree of friendship with Hestia. The bonds of familiarity meant nothing when Freya desired something. "Are you going to explain why you've asked me here?" she added with a hint of frustration.

"No time for pleasantries?" Freya held a hand to her cheek, feigning dejection. With the pretence dropped, she immediately got to it. "I have a proposition for you and your familia, Hestia dear." The words dripped like honey and Bell had to focus on resisting every second of enchantment.

"A deal? You're already borrowing one of my familia, what else could you possibly want?" Hestia's face was reddening slightly with anger.

"I understand that your familia bears a heavy burden. A substantial debt to the Hephaistos familia." Freya almost whispered.

Hestia stopped, almost frozen in her seat. She glanced at Bell askance, and back to Freya.

"How could you possibly know that?" she demanded.

"Hestia-dear, please. There's precious little I don't know about in this city."

"What of it?" Hestia asked, the anger in her voice subsiding to defeat. She was talking to a titan of the city. Of course Freya knew.

"Well, hence my calling you here today, darling. My proposition."

Bell had a rising feeling of unease in the pit of his stomach. It was climbing his insides. Freya knew things people weren't supposed to know.

Hestia stayed silent, and Freya continued.

"Imagine what you and your children could build without that crushing weight over you. The quests you undertake would provide an income to the familia, not just pay the debt. You could recruit, renovate, expand, improve – whatever you so desired, my dear. You could become strong." Freya lectured, every word like a part of some grand spell she was casting. "My familia will pay this debt for you. Every. Single. Valis." Her perfect white teeth flashed a brilliant smile to Hestia.

"And why would you do that?" Hestia asked, clearly confused. "What are you asking in return?" she continued, making no effort to mask the suspicion in her voice.

At that, Freya turned slowly to Bell.

Hestia rose sharply from her seat. "What else could you possibly want with Bell!?"

Freya remained seated, her arms folded neatly across her cleavage.

"Under Ottar's tutelage, he has grown at a fascinating rate. I only want that to continue, Hestia-dear," she laughed, her angelic features curving into an almost musical laugh. Her face returned to an unnerving calm. "One year. One full year in my familia, in return for the debt being paid. After that, Bell will return to you." At this, Freya merely inspected her immaculate fingernails, indifferent to the expressions of the two sat opposite her.

He couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

Training in Freya's familia had been fantastic. He had so many people to watch and learn from, and resources that his own familia just didn't have. There was no struggle for survival when he was surrounded by such strength, and, although he didn't like to admit it, it was a nice change of pace. But despite that, Hestia familia was his home, and he couldn't imagine that not being the case, even if just for a year.

Hestia slid back into her seat, her shoulders drooping lower than before. She looked defeated as her gaze met Bell's.

"What do you want, Bell?" Hestia asked him. He understood the question, but he didn't understand the look on her face or her tone of voice. Was she really thinking of accepting the deal? He couldn't find words to answer with, and his goddess turned back to Freya.

"Can we have a day to think about it?" she asked meekly.

"Of course."

Freya stood up from her chair and ran her fingers across the luxurious silver fur draped over her shoulders.

"I'll be waiting." She winked at Bell, and left the balcony.

Minutes passed by and nothing was said, before Hestia turned to Bell again, rising up to leave.

"I told you before, Bell. You need to do what's best for you." She eked out. "I'll give you some time to think this over and wait for you at home."

Bell's mind was racing. She seemed like she was willing to accept this.

Was he?

* * *

PLINK-plink.

PLINK-plink.

PLINK-plink.

From outside, the sound of hammer blows on metal echoed around the mansion grounds. Bell stood outside Welf's workshop, unsure of how to approach his friend.

"You gonna stand outside there all day, or are you gonna come inside?" he called out to Bell, apparently aware of his presence.

Bell obliged.

"Hey Welf," he opened. "Got a minute?"

Bell considered Welf like an older brother. He was hot-headed but always seemed to have wisdom to share, and Bell always looked up to him for that. And today he needed it.

The red-haired blacksmith plunged the long piece of metal into a barrel by the far wall and came back with two glasses, filled with an amber-coloured liquid, proffering one to Bell which he accepted.

"Shoot." Welf said, after a quick sip from his glass.

Bell proceeded to unload. He explained the situation with Freya familia as well as the deal he had been offered. Once he had finished he took a deep swig from his own glass.

"You gotta understand, Bell. Our goddess isn't stupid." He began, wiping his mouth with the strip of cloth wrapped around his wrist.

"The last thing she wants is to see you leave. She loves you, Bell and I think you know that." At this, Bell stared down into the amber liquid swirling in his cup. "But part of that is accepting what's best for you and the rest of the familia. Her feelings for you are strong, but she loves her familia, and that isn't just you anymore." Bell looked up at Welf, an understanding filling the parts of him that the warmth of his beverage hadn't. You're wondering why she's accepted this, but she hasn't. Not really. She's just accepted that this 'deal' is for the greater good. The familia can grow, and not be beholden anymore."

"So you're saying I should go?" Bell asked.

"I'm saying that you need to decide for yourself what's important to you. All you've ever really done is look out for everyone else and this familia. I'm saying you need to look out for yourself now, and what you want." Welf replied frankly. "Maybe it doesn't work out and you don't achieve what you're hoping for. It's only a year. And when you come back, you pick up right where you left off, the familia and you in a better place than before. Makes sense, doesn't it?"

"But I'll miss this place. Hestia was the only goddess who would take me in, how can I abandon her? Her falna is on my back, how can I trade that for another? It wouldn't feel right." Bell argued, just as much to himself as with Welf.

"Hey, I don't want you to leave anymore than Hestia does – whose gonna' protect me from Lilli?" Welf chuckled. "But it's only a year, Bell. It's not forever, and neither is this opportunity. Besides, think of the gear I could make for the whole familia without having all our quest proceeds go towards the debt!"

Bell sat silent for a minute, taking this in. He felt more at peace now than when he'd arrived.

With a loud slap Bell and Welf gripped each other's outstretched hand.

"Thanks Welf."

"Don't mention it lil' bro. See ya' real soon."

* * *

He didn't have his mind made up just yet – there was one more person he wanted advice from; Miach. Bell stopped by the Blue Pharmacy late in the evening to speak with him.

He told Miach everything, including his conversation with Welf.

"It must be a lot to take in for you, Bell." He started. "But I think you already know the right choice. You just don't want to have to make it."

"What do you mean, Lord Miach?" Bell asked, unsure.

"You know this will hurt Hestia, and so you don't want to leave. She means a lot to you Bell, I know that. But Welf was right, she has other children in her familia now. In the best possible way, you aren't her only concern." Bell didn't like to hear this, but he saw the sense in it.

"Hestia will blame herself for not being able to do this for you herself, but she also needs to care for the rest of her familia. I've experienced loss too, Bell. She would do anything for you, as I did for Naaza." Miach looked thoughtful. "Even if that means letting you go."

Bell looked at his feet, fighting against the overwhelming urge to cry.

"I can see you're conflicted. Always remember this Bell," the god began, resting a hand on the young adventurer's shoulder. "Nothing is permanent in this wicked world… Not even our troubles." He beamed at Bell, his profound words untangling some of the mess in Bell's mind.

* * *

Taking a walk outside the city walls, Bell found it easier to think. The cool night breeze lightened the load on his shoulders and the full moon overhead gave him something to focus his eyes on. He ran the thoughts over and over in his mind: what would it be like? Would Hestia familia be okay? Would everyone miss me? Would everyone forget me?

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud cracking sound.

Climbing atop a rocky outcropping, Bell saw a figure moving around an open, flat clearing with the grace of a dancer. Training, if the destruction around the clearing was anything to go by. Bell sat atop one of the rocks, transfixed by the silhouette. Every strike they threw was thrown with power and ferocity, but with such speed and precision it was like watching an artist paint a masterpiece in front of him. Bell appreciated such training after his relatively brief time with Ottar. He wondered who this person might be, what familia they might belong to and what level they might be.

Before he realised the figure had disappeared.

"What're you doin' here?" a gruff voice asked.

Bell turned and immediately noticed the spikes of silvery-white hair, the jagged tattoo across the face.

It was Bete.

"I was just taking a walk is all, I'm sorry for interrupting." Bell got up to walk away. He wasn't sure he could hold his temper in check after everything Bete had said during the expedition. However he was also painfully aware that with the full moon overhead and the pronounced fangs on display that Bete was under the effects of his Ulfhedinn skill. If a fight broke out, Bell was not naïve enough to think he could take Bete on like this.

"Relax, kid." Bete called after him. "Sit."

Bell was taken back by the relaxed tone of voice. He hadn't ever heard Bete speak like that, and he felt compelled to sit with him. So he did.

"You scare people, y'know?" Bete told the younger, white-haired adventurer.

"What?" Bell asked a little too surprised. "Me?"

"People in the city work for years and years to get where you got to in a few months. Some people never get there. And yet here you are." Bete explained, evenly.

"Yeah… I know." Bell agreed. He was aware of this fact and had faced abuse over it in the past.

"And that's precisely why you need to keep doing what you're doing, kid."

Bell snapped round to look at Bete. What was this?

"It's hard sometimes. To feel like there are so many people relying on you. And no matter what you do, you aren't able to live up to what's expected of you." Bete continued. "For people that are supposed to love you unconditionally, sometimes it feels like familias have a lot of conditions." Bete stood up and dusted himself off, his fangs and muscle-mass retreating a little as he deactivated his skill.

"But they'll always be there for ya. Remember that tomato-kid." Bete flashed a fanged grin and pushed Bell backward off the rock he was seated on. When he sat up, the wolf-man was gone.

Bell was speechless.

He'd heard enough now.

He'd made his decision.


End file.
